While the U.S. is on top of the overall Olympic medal count, it is not the country that dominates winter sports like the 2026 Milano Cortina Games in Italy.
There will be around 2,900 athletes competing in 116 events at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games, with each one hoping to bring home a medal.
The prized gold, silver and bronze medals will go home with only a small portion of the competitors. The distribution of awards at past Olympics provides some insight into which countries and athletes are the most likely to dominate this year.
During the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, Norway took home the most medals: 37, including 16 gold. After the Norwegians came the ROC — the banner under which Russian athletes compete — followed by Germany, Canada and the United States.
The U.S. came out on top at the most recent Summer Games in Paris in 2024, taking home 126 medals, including 40 gold. It was followed by China, Britain and France.
But which countries have taken home the most medals overall, and which athletes have won most often in Olympic history? Which countries have the most Olympic medals?
While the International Olympic Committee does not compile rankings, the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage does keep a medal tally. It puts the U.S. at the top, with 3,103 total medals.
The Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage, which is described by the Olympics as the “leading international exponent in promoting and disseminating Olympism in the fields of culture, heritage and values-based education”, counts one medal per event, regardless of how many athletes may compete in a winning team.
